Add-a-shelf assembly



March 27, 1962 R. F. BECHT 3,027,016

ADD-A-SHELF ASSEMBLY Filed May 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l ss til4 I 3 I 46 N 1 INVENTOR.

Bil PAYMOND F. BEGHT ATTORNEY March 27, 1962 R. F. BECHT 3,027,016

ADD-A-SHELF ASSEMBLY Filed May 3, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

RAYMOND F. BEG/"IT BY jl/mm 4%,.- a ATTORNEY 3,027,016 ADD-A-SHELF ASSEMBLY Raymond F. Becht, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Robert Becht Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, :1 corporation of (thin Filed May 3, 1960, Ser. No. 26,641 13 Claims. (Cl. 211--153) This invention relates to a wire shelf assembly, or to wire shelving such as may be utilized for the storage or display of goods for sale in a retail store, for example. The shelving is of the type which may be supported at its opposite ends to span a pair of stationary spaced rails or brackets located within or between cabinets or other supports for the shelves.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved wire shelf structure which comprises modular sections adapted for assembly in a variety of ways to produce shelves of varying depth and area.

Another object is to provide improved shelving of the character stated, wherein the modular sections are interlocking when assembled, to attain great strength and safety of use for the support of heavy objects.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safe and dependable sectional interlocking shelf structure which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and easy to manipulate in setting up and dismantling.

Another object is to provide shelving of the character stated which is highly practical in use, pleasing in appearance, and of extraordinary durability.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and illustrated upon the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. lis a top plan view of the improved shelving, showing an assembly of interlocked modular sections producing a composite shelf of predetermined area or depth.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the assembly of FIG. 1 supported upon spaced parallel rails or brackets of typical design.

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the same.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing how a modular section may be added and interlocked to increase the depth and area of the composite shelf.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing a modi fication producing a shelf of different depth and area.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmental cross-sectional view showing in detail the means for interlocking a pair of shelf sections.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, showing the shelf sections in the course of assembly.

FIG. 9 is a fragmental perspective view showing two modular sections interlocked for mutual support of the constituent shelving sections.

In the drawings, 12, 14, and 16 indicate generally a series of co-operative elongate shelf sections each comprising a circumferential rigid wire frame having opposite sides 18 and 2t), and opposite ends 22 and 24, with a series of spaced parallel struts 26 welded to or otherwise rigidly connecting the opposite sides of each frame member to provide a shelf area. The struts as well as the frame members, may be of wire or rod stock having any desired cross-sectional shape, the present illustration showing round wire stock by way of example.

Any selected one or more of the frames, such as 16 for example, may be developed to provide an upturned barrier or fence 28 coextensive with one of its sides, to prevent goods on display from accidentally sliding off the shelf edge; and the barrier or fence may be reinforced by turning upwardly, as at 30, terminal end portions of ilk the struts and securing them to the barrier rail 32 by welds or other suitable means. The barrier or fence rail 32 may be integral with the circumferential frame of the shelf section, if desired, in which event the shelf side member 21 may be a separate part welded at its opposite ends 34 and 36 to the frame end members and to each of the transverse struts 26 overlying the side member 20.

Along one side member 18 of each shelf is welded 21 depending open truss 38 having a lower rail 4% arranged in spaced parallelism with the side member 18 from which it depends. The mean plane of each truss 38 may be disposed substantially at right angles to the shelf strut plane, as shown. It may be considered that the side frame member 18 of each shelf constitutes the upper rail of the truss 38 in each instance. The trusses preferably are made quite rigid and substantial, with the use of wires or rods of heavy gauge, in comparison with the struts 26.

In arranging the shelf sections for use, they are to be supported in a common plane at their ends, upon suitable support rails or brackets 42 and 44, FiG. 2, with the adjacent side members 18 and 20 in longitudinal abutment against one another along the extent of their length, as best shown upon FIG. 9. The various struts 26 of the several shelf sections thereby are disposed in a common plane for the support of goods or wares stacked upon the shelf sections.

Quick-action interlocking means are provided for detachably connecting the shelf sections in the coplanar re lationship of FIG. 9. Such interlocking means may comprise a plurality of tongues 46 fixed at intervals along the length of a frame member such as 20, and adapted to embrace the adjacent frame member 18 and truss rail 4i) of an adjoining shelf section.

As is best illustrated upon FIG. 9, each locking tongue ddcomprises a base arm 48 having an end 50 welded or otherwise fixedly secured to a frame member 20, as at 52, in substantially the plane of its shelf struts 26, the tongue being bent downwardly to provide a cantilever arm 54-. Arm 54 is disposed at an acute angle to base arm 48, to furnish an arcuate included seat 56 to firmly embrace the inside surface of the frame member 18 of the adjoining shelf, while the free end 58 of the cantilever arm presses firmly against the opposite face of the truss rail 40 depending from said adjoining shelf section, when the two shelf sections are coplanar.

The angularity of arm 54 to arm 48 is dependent upon the diameter of frame member 18 embraced by the tongue, and the angularity of the truss plane to the plane of its associated shelf section; the relationship being such that the end 58 of the cantilever arm firmly contacts the truss rail, and the seat 56 firmly engages the frame part 18, when the shelf sections are coplanar. Important also is the fact that seat 56 is distant from the frame member 20 which carries the tongue, by an amount approximately equal to the diameter of the embraced frame member 18, so that when the shelf sections are coplanar as in FIG. 9, the members 18 and 20 of adjacent shelf sections will be clamped together in line contact along substantially the full length of the shelf sections. This results in a very firm and effective yet readily detachable connection between adjacent interlocked shelf sections.

When the shelf sections are to be disconnected one from the other, it is necessary only to tilt one shelf section upwardly relative to the other, as in FIG. 8, causing the tongue to fulcrum about the frame member 18 at seat 56, whereupon the free end 58 of the cantilever arm swings away from truss rail 40. With the parts thusly displaced, the tilted shelf section may be bodily lifted to disengage the frame element 18 from seat 56, whereupon the cantilever arm may be withdrawn from its position only in the depth dimensions.

comparatively heavy gauge, but possessing limited resiliency for flexation of arm 54 in making and breaking the connection between the frame members 18 and 20.

For assembling any two shelf sections, it is necessary only to hook the tongue "-46 over frame member 18 in accordance with FIG. 8, direct the end 58 of the tongue through the open truss 38 as shown, and then swing the shelf sections into parallelism as FIG. 7 indicates, whereupon the connection is quickly and easily completed. The assembled structure may then be supported at its ends upon rails or brackets 42 and 44 in accordance with FIG. 2.

As will be understood, identical connections between shelf sections occur at all tongues applied along the length of the sections, and all such connections are simultaneously operative to either join, or free, the shelf sections relatively.

To make possible the assembly of shelves having many ditferent overall size and area characteristics, the depth dimensions of the several individual sections 12, 14, and 16, may be established at diifering values, perhaps in increments of three, four, and eight inches, so that by judicious selection of shelf sections to be joined together, almost any desired size of composite shelf may be pro- ,duced, Some typical combinations are illustrated by FIGS. 4, and '6 of the drawings.

Wire shelf sections constructed in accordance with the present invention possess many advantages over somewhat kindred structures heretofore proposed. They are instantly assembled and disassembled with ease and simple manipulation, and many different shelf sizes can be established with the use of just a few sections differing The resulting shelf is durable and serviceable, and presents a pleasing appearance. Other virtues and advantages of the structure have been mentioned hereinbefore.

If desired, the series of struts 26 may be replaced in whole or in part by solid supporting panels, depending upon service requirements; it being understood that suitable openings would be provided in the side edges of the panels for the reception of the locking tongues 17 of the adjacent side edge of an adjoining panel.

Various other modifications and changes in structural details of the sections may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the. invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A sectional shelf structure comprising in combination, a plurality of elongate planar shelf sections each having opposite side and end members, the side being of straight rigid wire stock, an open truss of rigid wire stock depending from the side of one section substantially at right angles to the plane of said one section, said truss including a lower straight rail disposed in spaced .-.parallelism with the side from which the truss depends, .a series of rigid tongues spaced along the side of the second shelf section, said tongues each comprising a base -arm and an integral cantilever arm meeting at an acute angle to providean included arcuate seat curved in substantial complementality with the cross-sectional shape of the wire side of the first shelf section, said cantilever arm having a free end and being of greater length than the space between the truss rail and the shelf section ,side from which it depends, the base arm having an end .fixed to the side of the second shelf section andextendtion, said cantilever arm having a free end and being ing outwardly therefrom in substantially the plane of the second shelf section.

2. A sectional shelf structure comprising in combination, a plurality of elongate planar shelf sections each having opposite side and end members, the side members being of rigid wire stock, a reinforcing rail of rigid material depending in parallelism from the side member of one shelf section, a rigid tongue fixed on the side member of the second shelf section, comprising a base arm and an integral cantilever arm meeting to provide a seat receptive of the side member of the first-mentioned shelf section, said cantilever arm having a free end to abut the rail aforesaid when the side member of the first shelf section engages the seat, said seat being disposed in spaced relation to the side member upon which the tongue is fixed, for forming a throat through which the side member of the first shelf section may pass in assuming a position of rest upon the seat.

3. The structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein the throat is slightly constricted to yicldingly oppose disposition of the side member of the first shelf section into engagement with the seat.

4. A sectional shelf structure comprising in combination, a plurality of elongate planar shelf sections each having opposite side and end members, the side members being of rigid wire stock, an open truss of rigid material depending from the side member of one shelf section and including a lower rail disposed in spaced parallelism with the side member front which the truss depends, a series of rigid tongues spaced along the side member of the second shelf section, said tongues each comprising a base arm and an integral cantilever arm meeting at an angle to provide an included seat receptive of the side member of the first-mentioned shelf secof greater length than the space between the truss rail and the shelf section side member from which it depends, whereby said free end may abut the truss rail when extended through the truss opening as the side member of the first shelf section engages the seat aforesaid, the base arm having an end fixed to the side member of the second shelf section and extending outwardly therefrom in substantially the plane of the second shelf section a distance approximating the diameter of the side member of the first shelf section, whereby the side member of the first. shelf section when engaging the seat is held in contact with the side member of the second shelf lationship and the free end of the cantilever arm abutting the truss rail.

5. The structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein the angularity of the cantilever arm forms with the side member to which the tongue is fixed, a constricted throat yieldingly opposing disposition of the side member of the first shelf section into engagement with the seat of the tongue.

6. A sectional shelf structure comprising in combination, a plurality of elongate planar shelf sections each having opposite side and end members, the side members being of rigid wire stock, an open truss of rigid material depending from the side member of one shelf section and including a lower rail disposed in spaced parallelism with the side member from which the truss depends, a series of rigid tongues spaced along the side member of the second shelf section, said tongues each comprising a base arm and an integral cantilever arm meeting at an angle to provide an included seat receptive of the side member of the first-mentioned shelf section, said cantilever arm having a free end and being of greater length than thespace between the truss rail and the shelf section side member from which it depends, whereby said free end may abut the truss rail when extended through the truss opening as the side member of the first shelf section engages the seat aforesaid, the

base arm having an end fixed to the side member of the second shelf section and extending outwardly therefrom a distance approximating the diameter of the side member of the first shelf section, whereby the side member of the first shelf section when engaging the seat is held parallel to the side member of the second shelf section, with the shelf sections disposed in substantially coplanar relationship and the free end of the cantilever arm abutting the truss rail.

7. The structure as set forth in claim 6, wherein the angularity of the cantilever arm forms with the side member to which the tongue is fixed, a constricted throat yieldingly opposing disposition of the side member of the first shelf section into engagement wiht the seat of the tongue.

8. A sectional shelf structure comprising in combination, a plurality of elongate planar shelf sections each having opposite side and end members, the side members being of straight rigid wire stock, an open truss of rigid wire stock depending from the side member of one section substantially perpendicularly to the plane of said one section, said truss including a lower rail disposed in spaced parallelism with the side member from which the truss depends, a series of rigid tongues spaced along the side member of the second shelf section, said tongues each comprising a base arm and an integral cantilever arm meeting at an acute angle to provide an included seat receptive of the side member of the first-mentioned shelf section, said cantilever arm having a free end and being of greater length than the space between the truss rail and the shelf section side member from which it depends, whereby said free end may abut the truss rail when extended through the truss opening as the wire side member of the first shelf section rests within the seat aforesaid, the base arm having an end fixed to the side member of the second shelf section and extending outwardly therefrom in substantially the plane of the second shelf section a distance approximating the diameter of the first shelf section side member, whereby the side member of the first shelf section when engaging the seat is held in contact with the side member of the second shelf section, with the shelf sections disposed in coplanar relationship and the free end of the cantilever arm abutting the truss rail at a location directly beneath the side member which carries the tongue.

9. The structure as set forth in claim 8, wherein the angularity of the cantilever arm forms with the side member to which the tongue is fixed, a constricted throat through which the side member of the first shelf section must be forced in order to attain engagement with the seat of the tongue.

10. A sectional shelf structure comprising in combination, a plurality of elongate planar shelf sections each having opposite side and end members, the side members being of straight rigid wire stock, an open truss of rigid wire stock depending from the side member of one section substantially perpendicularly to the plane of said one section, said truss including a lower rail disposed in spaced parallelism with the side member from which the truss depends, a series of rigid tongues spaced along the side member of the second shelf section, said tongues each comprising a base arm and an integral cantilever arm meeting at an acute angle to provide an included arcuate seat receptive of, and curved substantially complementarily with, the cross-sectional shape of the Wire side member of the first mentioned shelf section, said cantilever arm having a free end and being of greater length than the space between the truss rail and the shelf section side member from which it depends, whereby said free end may abut the truss rail when extended through the truss opening as the wire side member of the first shelf section rests within the seat aforesaid, the base arm having an end fixed to the side member of the second shelf section and extending outwardly therefrom in substantially the plane of the second shelf section a distance approximat ing the diameter of the side member of the first shelf section, whereby the side member of the first shelf section when engaging the seat is held in line contact against the side member of the second shelf section, with the shelf sections disposed in coplanar relationship and the free end of the cantilever arm abutting the truss rail.

11. The structure as set forth in claim 10, wherein the angularity of the cantilever arm forms with the side member to which the tongue is fixed, a constricted throat through which the side member of the first shelf section must be forced in order to attain engagement with the seat of the tongue.

12. A sectional shelf structure comprising in combination, a plurality of elongate planar shelf sections having opposite sides and ends, and means depending from the adjacent sides of adjoining sections for detachably connecting the shelf sections along adjacent sides, the sections being constructed in modular sizes as to depth for assembly thereof as a composite shelf of predetermined area, wherein the connecting means of shelf sections include depending trusses along corresponding sides, and tongues depending from the adjacent side of an adjoining shelf section and interlocking with the side and truss of an adjoining shelf section to produce a composite shelf.

13. A shelf comprising a plurality of sections having opposite sides and ends, a series of depending resilient tongue means disposed along one side of a section, truss means having a space therein depending from an adjacent side of an adjoining shelf section, said tongue means extending over the side of the adjacent section and through said space and contacting the lower opposite side of said truss means in a frictional retaining connection when said sections are coplanar, and adapted to release said frictional retaining connection when one shelf section is tilted from a coplanar position with respect to the other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,830,230 Gwyer Nov. 3, 1931 2,319,470 Nobles May 18, 1943 2,517,284 Calvert Aug. 1, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS when F c y 5% 

